Apparatus for determining the volume of liquid in tanks.



I w, MEREDITH APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE VOLU ME OF-LIQUID IN TANKS.

APPLICATION EILED IAN. I0, I9I6.

Zji

Patented Apr. 2, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEETI INVENTOR. wY/wv -ME/?UITH BY HA5 ATTORNEYS.

W. MEREDITH. APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE VOLUME 0F LIQUID IN TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I0. I9I6;

w "M2 mr m T/ E 5. ew m mum fim Am mm T d A w N. 5 m N M a Y.

WITNESS I the i "i. l' 'fi' .iFELN {353360, CAL.

mummy.

fi o-relocation of Letters Ealenc.

.Fipplicstion filed fir-Lunar 191%, erm No. 71,373.

- '22, wmg concern:

:ncwn lliui l,- l l iun MEREDITH, ucit .Qfili oi. the lllnitecl States, and resident of flue city and county of San Francisco, Stare of (lnlifornie, have invented. new and useful Apparatus for Determining the i Liquid in Tanks, of which the s a specificution.

lilO'fl r lsies to on instrumeni of on with Which-the volume of liquid a tank may be determined.

The object or the invention-is to provide no apparatus having a scale upon which may read the quantity of liquid in the tank in rel-ins of its height at a given tempera in re.

Another object of the invention is lo provide an apparatus having a scale so that, the height of liquid. in the tank at a giv n stzmclaro. icinporuiurc may be determined irresgective of the temperature obtaining at tluomonient of reading the scale.

Another object of the invent-ion is to prorirlo e"; uppa-irutus of the character clegscril eri for measuring liquids of different iil-tliCiilC gravlcy. I

mother ob ect oi the llfi'QllillOn is to provide an apparatus of lhe character f iborl which incluces novel means for disciosingr the proper operation of the apperziius.

The invention possesses other advantageous features which, with. the foregoing, rill be set forth at length in the following description, Where I shall fully explain that prefcrred form of m y 'invention which is illustrated in timer-swings accompanying and forming part of the specification. The novelty of the invention will be includecl in claims succeeding said description. From this it is apparent that 1 do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and clescripi-ion, us I may adopt roan ruriatious within the scope of my inc VQntlOll as set forth in the suicl ciaims.

Fig. 3 is a vertical View of the some por- Fig. 6 is u VlBW showing another modified mm of my invention.

My invention consists of an instrument of precision for ascertaining the volume of any liquid lielrl in '3, storage tank or rece pts.

ole by the height on a graduated s ale to which a column of heavier liquid is raised by the head of liquid in the ionic. 'llic apperatus is Adopted for use with any li-iiunLbut its use particular. 5'1 in connect-ion- With oils is shown and describe-(l herein.

In transactions involving the selling or handling of oil, the volume of an oil of a given specific gravity is estimated on i licbasis of its volume at a certain temperafiure, usually 66 lfli-lirenlleit. In determining the amountor oil in a storage tank which is necessarily exposed to changes iniempersture it is required to do more than merely measure the depth of the oil, since the (lepil'i varies with the oxpmision and contraction of the oil due in rlningcs in temperature. The mass of the sloi v(l oil is not subject to fluctuation with changes of temperature enrol remains u conslen'tfor any given quantity of oil whether; Elie oil is warm or coicl, tlierefore n measuring apiniratus which is sensitive only to the mess of the liquid is beyond reach of temperature changes and equally reliable at all temperatures. By celibrziting the apparatus for oil at, Fahrenheit, the quantity of oil measured may be (lisclosed in terms of its volume at that tour peruture, regardless of the actualicnip turo existing; atthe moment of measurement. A still greaher usefulness is given the apparatus hy providing means so that oils of different specific gravity can he ineasurcd from the same scale.

A closed vessel 2 is provided with an upwardly extending glass tube 3 open at its upper encl. The lower end of the mbe is connected by a passage with theiower portion of the vessel and a suitable support protects the tube and in effect constitutes with the tube and the vessel an integral structure. The vessel contains a quantity of liquid, preferably mercury, into the lower portion of which leads the passage from the tube, so that variations in pressur within the vessel are accompanied by variations in the height of the mercury within the tube. The capacity of the vessel 2 is relatively quite large with respect to that of the tube 3 so that a displacement of some of the mercury into the tube does not sensibly affeet the level of the mercury in the vessel. Arranged adjacent to the tube 3 is a graduated stale 5 upon which the height of the mercur column in the tube may be convenient y read.

Means are provided for producing pres- 15 sure within the mercury containing vessel which is equal to. the pressure head of the liquid in the tank. A pipe (5 is arranged in the storage tank 7 and extends down through the liquid 8 therein its cnd9 opening closely adjacent to the bottom. A conductor 12 connects this pipe with the mercury vessel, thatportion of it 13 next to the mercury vessel being flexible.

Connected to the pipe 6 is a second con- 25 from the compressed air' tank 15 supplied from the hand pump 16. The connection 17 of the conductor 14 to the pipe 6 is arranged so that moisture condensing in the conductor will not run down the pipe 12 into the mercury vessel 2.

A flexible-connection 18 detachable at the coupling 19 connects the air tank 15 with two connected vessels 2t) and 21 interposed between the tank and the conductor 14. The vessel is a closed glass tube partially filled with kerosene or comparable liquid. The conductor it is connected into the top of the tube 20, A conductor 22 extending well below the surface of the liquid in the tube connects with thebottom of the closed chamher 21 and the conductor 23 connected into the top'of the chamber 21 connects through the coupling 19 with the flexible conductor 18. Valves 24 and 25 control the passage of air from the tank into the conductor 18 and through the conductor 14 respectively. A valve 26 gives communication between the vessel 2 and the conductor 12 and this valve may be turned so as to close conductor "12 while establishing communication between the vessel 2 and the outer air.

Assume that the storage tank 7 contains a quantity of oil 8 which it is desired to measure and that the. gravity of the oil is 10 Baum. "Assume no pressure in the apparatus, the oil in the immersed section of pipe 6 standing at the same level as the oil in the tank. Assume also that the scale 5 is calibrated to oil of 10 Baum gravity at a temperature of Fahrenheit and that the tube 3 is in the vertical position shown in Fig. 2. The scale may be marked infect, the number which represents the maximum 66 depth of oil in the tank appearing near the ductor 14 which conveys air int o the pipe 6 top of the tube. Since in a tank of given size each foot of depth represents a certain number of barrels, the scale may be marked, if desired, so that the height of the mercury column is evaluated in that unit instead of in feet. In the drawings the scale is shown marked from 0 to 18 feet, the latter being assumed to be the maximum depth of oil. In practice, the tube 3 is extended a short distance above the scale marking for the maximum depth.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The valve 26 is opened to connect the vessel 2 with the conductor 12,'and the valves 25 and 2% opened in the order named to supply air under pressure to the conductor 18. The air passes through the corn ductors 18and 23, the chamber 21 and the conductor 22 and bubbles up through the liquid in the tube 20 before entering the con- 1 ductor 14-. The operator is thus able to de ductor 14 the air passesinto the pipe 6 and forces the oil in the submerged section of the pipe downwardly until the pipe is clear and air bubbles out at the bottom end 9. VVhatever pressure isexcrted to expel the column of oil from the pipe 6 must of necessity be exerted also in the other connecting conductors and therefore upon the mercury in the vessel 2. This pressure displaces a certain amount of the mercury which flows out into the tube 3 and rises therein to a point where it balances the pressure of the air in the mercury vessel. The degree of air pressure necessary to keep the pipe 6 clear of oil is represented by the weight of the oil column in the pipe before the pressure isa plied, that is, the pressure head in the ta Therefore, the depth of the oil bears adirect relation to the height of the mercury in the tube and since the scale is calibrated for the volume of oil at --60 Fahrenheit and iSlIlCB the mass of the oil is not affected by temperdepth of the oil in the tank as it would be if the temperature were at 60f Fahrenheit irrespective of the actual temperature and the actual depth.

The sight feed tube 20 provides means for the operator to tell whether the oil has been; forced out of the pipe 6 and if the scale reading is correct, or whether an obstruction is blocking the pipe, or whether there is sufficien't air pressure to clear the pipe. If the mercury column remains at a constant height and air is passing as shown by bubbles rising in the liquid of the sight feed tube 20, the operator is' certain that the tube 6 is clear and thelair escaping from the bottom end 9.

A Vernier 27 is arranged on the scale 5 so that a" very close reading of the height of the mercury column is possible. Fig. 4180 i of the Vernier indicates that the depth of oil.

shows a fragment of the tube 3 and the scale 5 and the vermer 27 full size. The position in the tank is 13 feet 9 inches.

It has been assumed that the oil has a gravity of 10 Baum and that the tube in its vertical position. is calibrated for that grzwity. Let it now be assumed that the oil in thetaluk has been replaced by a lighter oil, say of if) Baum. The relative Weight of oils of 45Baun1 and 10 Bauni gravity is approximately as .8 to 1, therefore With read accuratel T their dc th on the same scale the mercury vessel 2 is mounted in a suitable bearing 28 so that it, together with the tube 3 and the scale 5 may be rotated or rocked in the bearing to different angular positions. The bearing 28 is arranged'so that the axis of rotationoi the vessel lies in the normal 1 levclof the mercury in the vessel and the scale 5 is placed on the tube support 4 with the zero reading on the scale set accurately on the axis of rotation of the vessel and tube. The scale may'be made adjustable on the tube support by means of the thumb screw 29 so that any inaccuracy in the setting of the scale may be remedied. Means are also provided for adjusting the level of themes cury so that its normal level lies in the axis of rotation and fills the tube to the zero read ing on the scale. A. plug 31 projecting in to the lower portion of the vessel 2 is threaded into the Wall of the vessel and by screwing the plug" in, mercury is displaced thereby and the level raised. Similarly, turning the plug in the opposite direction lowers the level of the mercury. By this means the level of the mercury is brought exactly to the Zero reading of the scale before the instrument is put into use and accuracy of the reading-is assored.

An angular scale 32 is mounted on the frame 33 secured to the base 84: on which the bearing 28 is placed and e line 35 is nmrlred on the scale 32 with which the edge of the scale 5 s swung into alineinent. The position oi. this line for Baum oil is obtrained as follows: Oil of 15 Bunnie gravity another Way, the scale with s. value of 1 in the vertical position istipped over to an angular position of which .8 is the vertical component, thusshortening: the scsle divisions to .8 oi their vcrticalvalue, but since the oil is but .8 of the specific gravity of that for which the scale is calibrated, the scale readings are the same and are accurate for both oils.

Uthcr divisions on the angular scale may be marked corresponding to the angular position of the tube when used to measure the depth of oil of other densities. A. taper pin 3'7 i. ably spaced holes 38 or other similar means, may he usedto secure the tube in any of its positions.

After the depth of oillias'been ascertained, the valves 25 and 26 are turned to seal the air under pressure in the conductors 6, 11-2 and 1 1 so that at the next measuring, the column of oil does not have to be Wholly displaced from the pipe 6. The air then on hausts from the vessel 2 and the mercury in the tube falls back into the vessel. The

.portahle air tank and pump is then discon nected from the apparatus and The-operator proceeds to the next tank.

The presence of the valve :25 and the seal iug of the conductors is ODl'lOHlLl' and I may prerer to omit these features, allowing the air to exhaust from the conductors as Well as from theinercury vessel after each measur' ing operation. In this case, the pipe 6 fills up with oil afier each test and this column of oil is wholly displaced with each new test. In case the operator should disconnect the coupling 19 before closing; the valve 25, the air in the various conductors forces the liquid in the tube 20 up through the con ductor into the chamber 21 bubbling through it in that chamber until an equilibrium is establishedwhen the liquid drains back into the tube 20. The chamber 21 is, therefore. merely a precautionary device to prevent a careless oywr-ator from allowing the sight feed to be emptied by the exhausting air.

In 5, a modilicaiiou of my invention is shown somewhat 'n diagrzunnmiical form. in this construction i is contemplated thatthc pump, sight Feed. mercury vessel and scale the air pump as in Fig. 1 and that the only portions of theapparatus to be permanently attached to the tank are the pipe connections. It will be understood that for con venience the pump, sight feed, mercury vessel. and scale may be suitably mounted in any desired WERV "to facilitate their transportation and use. p

The air l e-ink 15 is connected through branch conductors and 13 to i-hesafety chamber 21, and-"the mercury vesse 2 respectively. The valve El controls the passage of the air from the tank 15 and the conductor 18 is flexible so. as not to interfere with the rocking; of the mercury vessel. A

flexible conductor 41 attached to the sight feed tube 20 and provided with a coupl ng Willconstitufe thcportable unit instead of only 42 provides means for connecting up the apparatus with the pipe 43 which is permanently attached to the tank. The pipe 4:3 is connected to the tank 7 and its open end 9 is closely adjacent the bottom of the tank. The pipe is provided with an automatic check valve 4% to prevent the accidental passage of oil outwardly in the pipe, and also a 3-Way valve 45 for closing the pipe, and

for establishing communication with the open air.

When the apparatus is connected up at the coupling 42 and the valves 45 and 24 are conductors 23 and 13 is effective in displacing mercury from the vessel 2 into the tube 3 as'heretofore explained in detail, and the volume of oil in-the tank is read upon the scale in the manner previously made clear.

Fig. 6 shows another modification quite similar to the one shown in Fig. 5 but dlfferlng 1n the manner of connecting to the tank. The apparatus of the portable unit is the same as that just described, but the pipe 43 is led upward over the top edge of the tank and down through the liquid as shown. An automatic check valve is not needed in this construction, although it may be included as a precaution against malicious mischiefl'but the valve is included, which provides'n'ieans whereby the air may be sealed in the pipe 43 after the first application of. the apparatus, thus making it unnecessary to displace the column of oil from the immersed section of the pipe with each use of the apparatus. After finishing a test the valve 24 is closed to shut off the air and the valve 45 is turned to seal the pipe 43 and place the conductor 41 and connected condilctors'in communication with the atmosphere. This releases the pressure in the conductors of the portable unit and allows the mercury in the tube 3 to fall back into the mercury vessel. The coupling 42 is then disconnected.

I claim-- 1. In combination with a tank containing liquid. a closed vessel containing mercury having a tube upwardly extending from below the level of the mercury in the vessel, a conductor in communication with said vessel and extending through said liquid, means for simultaneously displacing the column of liquid in said conductor and a proportional amount of mercury from said vessel into said tube and means angularly adjustable inaccordance with the specific gravity of the liquid in the tank for evaluating the said displaced columns.

2. In combination with a tank containing and angularly adjustable means forevaluating the height of the mercury column.

3. In an apparatus as described, a closed vessel containing a liquid and having a tube 4 extending therefrom, an angular scale adja cent the tube, a linear scale adjacent the tube, said tube and linear scale being angularly adjustable across said angular scale for liquids of different specific gravities, means for adjusting said linear scale and means for displacing liquid from said vessel into said tube. p

I 4t. In combination with a tank containing liquid, 9. closed vessel containing mercury and having a tube extending therefrom a linear scale adjacent said tube, an angular scale adjacent said tube, said tube and linear scale being arranged to be swung across the angular scale, a conductor in communication with said vessel and extending from the top to the bottom of aid tank, and means to forcing air into said conductor. 1

5. In combination with a tank containing liquid, a closed vessel containing mercury and having a tube extending therefrom, a

linear scale adjacent said tube, anan lar scale adj agent said tube, said tube and linear scale being arranged to be swung across the angular sca1e,"a conductor in communication with said vessel and extending from the top to the bottom of said tank, means for forcing air into said conductor, and a pressure release valve in said conductor,

6. In an apparatus'for determining the volume of a liquid in a tank, a closed vessel containing mercury and having a tube extending therefrom, a linear scale and angular scale adjacent the tube, said linear scale and tube being adjustable across the angular scale for liquids of different specific gravities, a conductor in communication with said vessel. and extending to the bottom of said tank, means for forcing air into said con-' ductor, and means fordetermining the passage of air into said conductor.

7. In an apparatus as described, a base, a vessel COIIta'lHiHg mercury pivotally mounted on said base, and a tube extending from said vessel having a graduated scale, the axis: of

the pivot of said vessel passing through the.

tube opposite the zero reading of the graduation on said. scale.

8. In an apparatus as described, a pivoted 9. In combination with a tank eontaining liquid, a vessel containing liquid of a. relatively higherspecifie gravity and rovided with an inwardly extending angu arl y adjustable glass tube, a scale for gaging the angular adjustment of said tube, a conductor arranged between said tank and said vessel, means for producing apressure, in said conductor and said vessel equal to the pressure head in said tank and means for evaluatin the column, of liquid displaced from said vessel into said tube.

10. In n apparatus for measuring the volume of a liquid in a tank, a vessel containing another liquid of a relatively higher specific gravity and provided with an up- \vardly extending tube, means connecting said tank and said vessel whereby the pressure head in said tank displaces liquid from said vessel into said tube and means angularly adjustable inaecordance with the specific gravity of the liquid in the tank for evaluating the displaced liquid in saidtube.

11. In combinationwith a tank containing liquid, a closed vessel containing mercury and having a tube extending therefrom, a scale adjacent said tube, a conductor in communication with said vessel and extending tc the bottom of the liquid in=said tank, means for supplying air under )ressure to said conductor, a liquid containing chamber for determining the passage of such air into said conductor and means for preventing the loss of liquid from said chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 3rd day of January, 1916. WVYNN In presence of H. G. Pnos'r.

MEREDITH. 

